The Last of Us might be one of the best-written video games ever made, and these memorable quotes prove it.
The Last Of Us was one of those rare gems that showed just how powerful good storytelling and character development could be in a video game. The entire plot is full of emotional moments, inspiring growth, bravery, tragedy, and darkness.
It’s also known for having some great lines and quotes from the characters. Seemingly every character has something deep or meaningful to say that make for truly memorable quotes. Long after the credits rolled and players moved on to other games all those years ago, these quotes have stuck around. We’ve added a few more to this list for a total of 15!
15. “I Will Not Turn Into One Of Those Things. Come On, Make This Easy For Me.”
This poignant scene features Tess revealing a bite mark on her neck to Joel and Ellie, which has effectively sealed her doom. Knowing the end is nigh, she pushes both of them to leave her so that she can do the deed herself.
Tess also succeeds in comparing the bite on Ellie’s arm to her own neck wound, to help Joel understand that there’s something truly special about Ellie’s biology. This would have serious ramifications for the remainder of humanity, in the final act of the game.
14. “Let’s See, Scorpions Are Pretty Creepy. Ummm, Being By Myself. I’m Scared Of Ending Up Alone. What About You?”
Well into the game, Ellie meets a new friend named Sam, and the two get to talking about the state of the world, and what it’s like to survive. Eventually, the conversation shifts to greatest fears and Ellie reveals hers.
At first, it’s typically benign, but Ellie soon spills the beans and reveals what really frightens her in a world gone mad, full of lunatics, deadly zombies, and cruel humans.
13. “I Lost Most Of My Crew Trying To Get Here, I Pretty Much Lost Everything. And Then You Show Up And Somehow We Find You Just In Time To Save Her. Maybe It Was Meant To Be.”
After waking up in a hospital bed, Joel comes face to face with Marlene, just as she’s prepping Ellie for surgery to find a possible cure for the cordyceps epidemic. At first, Joel remarks that Ellie “fought like hell” to reach the Fireflies.
Marlene quips that she herself had endured the same kind of torment, only to see Joel stand by Ellie’s side as she fought to reach them. While both believe that fate might have played a factor, neither of them see eye-to-eye on the reasons why, or what came next.
12. “Once Upon A Time, I Had Somebody That I Cared About. It Was A Partner. Somebody I Had To Look After. And In This World, That Sort Of S**T’s Good For One Thing: Gettin’ Ya Killed.”
Bill exposes his own nihilism when he utters this quote about caring for people in the aftermath of a destroyed world. It’s an important message about the dangers of losing one’s own humanity when things become dire.
In truth, many humans would probably fall victim to the same viewpoint as they continued to lose hope. Soon, caring for others would become a liability, which begs the question – what’s the point of living, at all? It’s a cautionary message for everyone to remember the importance of helping others, especially when things are at their worst.
11. “What Did The Green Grape Say To The Purple Grape? Breathe, You Idiot!”
One of the more lighthearted portions of The Last Of Us includes a series of truly awful puns, courtesy of a book in Ellie’s possession called No Pun Intended.
Among most of the eye-rolling, groan-inducing puns is a standout – this particular joke about a green grape talking to a purple grape. It’s one for the ages.
10. “There Are A Million Ways We Should’ve Died Before Today, And A Million Ways We Can Die Before Tomorrow.”
“But we fight, for every second we get to spend with each other. Whether it’s two minutes or two days, we don’t give that up. I don’t want to give that up.” – Riley in Left Behind DLC
Having just been bitten and their fates seemingly sealed, both Riley and Ellie were struggling with what to do now that their days were numbered. Although the thought of ending it all came up, Riley delivered this powerful line that shows why it’s important to keep fighting even though it all seems pointless.
9. “You Know, As Bad As Those Things Are, At Least They’re Predictable. It’s The Normal People That Scare Me.”
The Last Of Us does a good job at making zombies terrifying, but it does an even better job of making regular people out to be the worst monsters. Zombies kill a person because they’re driven by biological urges to spread the infection, humans do it because they can.
Ultimately Bill points out that free will and human greed make people much scarier. A zombie you know what you’re dealing with, but that kind man who helped you bag a deer and save your life could also very well be a cannibal.
8. “After Years Of Wandering In Circles, We’re About To Come Home, Make A Difference, And Bring The Human Race Back Into Control Of Its Own Destiny.”
“All of our sacrifices and the hundreds of men and women who’ve bled for this cause, or worse… will not be in vain.” – Anonymous Surgeon
This recording gives an insight into how desperate the medical professionals with the Fireflies were to find a cure and give mankind hope for rebuilding. After years of watching everyone around them die and no hope in sight, they’re finally on the brink of a cure that could change everything.
7. “I Struggled For A Long Time With Surviving. And No Matter What, You Keep Finding Something To Fight For.”
Joel is a man who knows about loss, after losing his wife, his daughter, his brother (he assumed he was dead), and Tess, he had to find a reason to keep going and keep surviving.
Recognizing that Ellie was going through a similar crisis of faith after failing to deliver the cure to the fireflies he wanted to ensure she found her own reason for surviving.
6. “After All We’ve Been Through. Everything That I’ve Done. It Can’t Be For Nothing.”
After Joel proposes going back to Tommy’s settlement and living a normal life Ellie quickly shuts it down saying all the hardship, heartbreak, and what she considers vile acts on her part (killing David) can’t be in vain.
All of those things are okay if they manage to get a cure out of this, which makes Joel’s statement that she needs to find another reason to survive so important in the previous entry.
5. “Hello? Anyone? Cure For Mankind Here!”
This amusing line perfectly conveys the frustration and hope Ellie has at trying to find the Fireflies. After being told for so long they were at the university they arrive to find the Fireflies are gone, having moved on even further across the country.
Despite knowing the importance of her immunity, Ellie can’t help but be a kid and feel frustrated that things just keep going wrong. Turns out being the savior of mankind can be a little frustrating if the story doesn’t play out like the fairy tale it should be.
4. “Just One Peaceful Night; A Clean Conscience…All Gone…”
“Lyin’ on the couch watchin’ Sunday football. That… greasy smell of a downtown hot dog. 4th of July, family barbecues. The sound of a plane flying overhead. Just one peaceful night; a clean conscience…all gone…” – Joel
In the midst of the apocalypse, Joel has become aware of how much he took for granted from the early days. The food, the company, the boring activities, and just the simple peace of not watching over your shoulder every minute of every day or worried what might happen in your sleep. But perhaps what he misses most of all is a life where he never made bad decisions or did horrible things to survive.
3. “Tell Them Ellie’s The Name Of The Little Girl… That BROKE YOUR F***ING FINGER!”
Being a child of the apocalypse it’s understandable she’d have a mouth on her and her rebellious and feisty personality makes her a bit of a quandary for the cannibal David. While he tries to manipulate what he thinks is a strong, but innocent little girl, Ellie keeps proving she’s sharper around the edges than he anticipates.
She becomes such a threat that David himself goes toe to toe with her in the bar and loses, proving that although she’s a little girl and filled with raw emotion at times, she also has a fire in her.
2. “Everyone I Have Cared For Has Either Died Or Left Me. Everyone… F***Ing Except For You.”
“So don’t tell me that I would be safer with someone else because the truth is I would just be more scared.” – Ellie
This is a particularly vulnerable moment for Ellie as she has developed feelings for Joel and is presented with the fact that he might not share those same feelings back.
Despite his gruff demeanor and repeated attempts to shut her out, Ellie is aware that he’s willing to do anything to protect her and Joel is scared of getting too attached as a result.
1. “You’d Just Come After Her.”
This short and brutal line is one of the most haunting moments in the game. The story descended from a black and white story of redemption for Joel by finding a cure to the gray abyss of a tortured man making a choice no one should ever have to make. Joel must decide whether to willingly lose the last person he cares about to save humanity or protect her and doom everyone else.
After making this horrible choice he’s put to a final test to spare the life of the Fireflies’ leader, but after realizing that Marlene is willing to go to any lengths to obtain a cure Joel determines she’d pose a continual threat to Ellie and ends her life and any hope for a cure.
Its Not Just Anime, Its A Way Of Life 